“Death is the greatest teacher of life.” Why is it that people suddenly become more real at a wake, a funeral, or a memorial service? The losses of loved ones (and of great leaders) remind …
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Life that is Stronger than Death
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A National Purpose for America
“It is time, now, that we asked ourselves what has become of the American dream?” On October 29, 1961, Rabbi Olan urged Americans to remember the values and costly sacrifices of our nation’s founders and …
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We and the War That Need Not Be
“There is no escape from the grim reality of the possibility of a nuclear war which would really end all wars and all life.” World tensions were indeed high on October 22, 1961, when this …
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We Are All Guilty
“What punishment is there for someone who is responsible for the murder of six million lives?” Rabbi Olan’s October 15, 1961 radio sermon drew on public interest in the prosecution of Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann …
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Wake Up and Live
"... while we are alive we are in need of something more — security, peace of mind, happiness — some undefined quality which is more than breathing or existing." Between the time Rabbi Olan gave this radio sermon on October 8, 1961 and today, the challenges to understand, adapt, and find genuine meaning in life relentlessly persist. The demands of...
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Is Religion Without Ritual Possible?
"In every great moment of man's life, religious ritual becomes the instrument, the art form, if you will, by which he lifts his mundane experience and relates it to the larger meaning of all of life." When Rabbi Olan asks the question "Is religion without ritual possible?" he does not distinguish among religions in his response, but rather he...
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Let There Be Light
“[Human] life is possible only where there is light.” What comes to mind when you think about darkness and light? In his March 19, 1961 radio sermon, Rabbi Olan spoke of darkness being a fearful …
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Christianity and Judaism – What Do They Have in Common?
“Judaism and Christianity have their differences, but they are as one in their declaration that there is a spiritual reality at the heart of all nature and life.” Some people seek to build walls of …
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The Distinctive Message of Prophetic Religion
"It seems that our very existence as a species rests upon our understanding the truth of the prophetic experience. We are all of us creatures, bound to each other by our common origin and destiny." On March 5, 1961 Rabbi Olan explored how religion reorients the way we understand our purpose in the universe. With its many facets, prophetic faith, he says, provides a critical foundation for us to find...
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The Faith of a Believing Few
"The task which confronts all of us is that of finding a cause we believe in and joining the group which is dedicated to its achievement." On February 26, 1961, Rabbi Olan confronted what it means to be in a minority group of thought, faith, and even history. It can be discouraging when your views do not seem generally accepted, he says, but so often it is only...
Rabbi Levi A. Olan: The Conscience of the City 